Feeding mechanism



Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed June l, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO 2,655,373

FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed June 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO 2,655,373

FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed June 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

[014m BY I Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO FEEDING MECHANISM v SheetsSheet 4 Original Filed June 1. 1948 INVENTOR. i0 14x0 4770P/VL K5 Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO FEEDING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June 1, 1948 Oct. 13, 1953 LAXO 2,655,373

FEEDING MECHANISM Original Filed June 1, 1948 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fla/4 o 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTOP/Vf/f Oct. 13, 1953 E. LAXO FEEDING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed June 1. 1948 l 2 Aux. 5T M Patented Oct. 13, 1953 FEEDING MECHANISM Ed Laxo, Oakland, Calii'., assignor to Atlas Imperial Diesel Engine 00.

poration of Delaware Oakland, Calif., a cor- Originalapplication June ,1, 1948,, Serial No.

30,243, now Patent No. 2,577,084,,dated December 4, 1951. Divided and this ap December 24, 1949, Serial No: 135,012

This invention relates to a feeding mechanism, and more particularly to a suction feeding mechanism operable to extract metal blanks one-by-one from a hopper by suction means and to transfer each extracted blank to a feed table for transfer by mechanical feeding means to a punch press.

' This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 30,243, entitled Feeding Mechanism, filed June 1, 1948, now Patent No. 2,577,084, dated December 4, 1951; and the suction feeding means of'the present application is co-operable with the mechanical feeding means described and claimed in-the said copending application. 1 l

It is an object of thepresent invention to provide suction feed means for feeding individual metal blanks or thelike from a hopper, said means being capable of rapid operation in timed relationship, if necessary, to operation of another machine, and which is dependable in that one and only one blank is fed at a'time.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide suction feed means of the character and for the purpose described, which is operable to apply suction to the bottommost of a supply of metal blanks in a hcpperand to hold thesuction and then release the suction, in a manner calculated to ensure adequate suction when needed and to release suction when unneeded or undesired.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide hopper means for holding a supply of metal blanks or the like and to deliver the same one-by-one from the bottom to a suction de- *v1ce."

These and other objects 'of' the invention will beapparent from theensuing description and the appended claims. i r

One form which the invention may assume isexemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: V

Fig. 1 is an end view of the feeding mecha nismas lviewed from the end farthest from the .punches, and showing fragmentarily a part of the-punch press frame. L 1

Fig; 2 is a transverse section, b'eing a view in the same directionas in Fig. 1, and showing cerstain detailsofthe feed hopper and feed table.

f Fig.- 3-is a plan view. ofn-the feed hopper taken alongthe line 3-'3"of Fig. l. 7 I e Fig. 4 is a plan view of thefeed table with the feed hopper removed. e e b b b a-51s a section ta en"a ong-the line 5- -5 of 2 Claims. (01. 271-32) 2 of the suctionmechanism tracting metal strips from the hop- Fig." 4," showing details used for ex per.

Fig. 6 is another view of the suction mechanism, takenalong the line 6-6 of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 is'a sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6; showing certain details of the sucn e han m-1 :1 Fig; 8 is a longitudinal sectional Wiew'taken along the line 88 of Fig. 1, showing the main and auxiliary feed mechanism.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view, partly broken away, showing the safety device employed to interrupt the feed mechanism in the" event of jamming ofa strip. b

Fig. 10 is an end 'view, taken along the line 10-40 of Fig. 8, and Figs. 11 and 12 are transverse cross-sections taken along the lines I |--I I and I 2-!2, respectively, of Fig. 8, all showing details of the feed bar structures.

Fig. 13is asection taken along the line l3--I3 of Fig. 3, showing certain details of the feed hopper construction.

'- Fig. 14 is a view in elevation taken along the line -44 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is anend view, taken along the line l5-l5 of Fig. 1, showing the adjustable mounting of the feed table. b

Fig. 16 is a schematic illustration of the progress of a strip through the feeding mechanism and punchpress.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numeral 10 indicates one side of the main frame of a punch press including a punching element (not shown). A feed table I l is secured to a supporting bracket l 2 and is aligned therewith by means of keys I3. The supporting bracket I2 is bolted at 14 to an intermediate bracket l5 which is carried in gibs I6 bolted to side H) of the press frame by bolts ll. As shown more clearly in Fig. 14, the feed table is adjustable in either of two mutually perpendicular direetions, by loosening bolts H or I! and turning screw 5 or 6. I

shown, the feed table II is set at a steep angle, and thereabove is a feed hopper generally designated ae 20, which comprises end bars 2| and side bars 22, the latter being adjustably clamped to the end bars at 23 to a'llow variable "spacing of theside bars to acconmiodate strips of different widths. To accommodate strips of different length, an auxiliary end bar 24 is pro- "Wided'which is'adjustably clamped to a side bar at 25, as shown. Adjustably clamped to the side "bars 22 areposts'zfi and retainers 21, and tothe left hand end bar (as viewed in Fig. 3) and auxiliary bar 24 are adjustably clamped combination posts and retainers 26a. Each retainer 21, as shown more clearly in Figs. 13 and 14, is provided with claws 35 pivotally supported at 36 and having serrations or teeth 31 at its lower end. An auxiliary member 35a pivotally supported between the arms of the retainer, as shown, serves to guide and align the strips, and adjustable stop screws 31a position the claws 35- and auxiliary members 35a to properly retain the strips. The claws 35 arid auxiliary members 35a serve to retain a stack of strips 38 in thehopper until a suction mechanism hereinafter described operates to extract the lowermost strip from the stack of strips. The members 2611- are similarly provided with claws" tofunction ascom bined posts and retainers. Y

As shown, the end bars 2| extend both outwardly and inwardly of the hopper frame, and

.or lugs 43 carried by brackets integral with the feed table. Also, clamped to and depending from the inner side bar' 22, is a block 45 provided with a notch 46 and a finger 41 at its lower end forthe purpose hereinafter described.

v, Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and to 7, the strips 38 are withdraw/none, at a time from the bottom of the hopper 20, by a. plurality of suction meansgenerally designated as 55, each of which is secured to a shaft 56 extending between and journaled in theupper ends of the feed table at 51 (see Fig. 1). Each suction means 55 comprises a generally L-shaped arm 58 clamped to the shaft 56. Securedto the free end of each arm by a screw 59 and washer 60, are a holder 6I and a rubber suction cup 62. The suction arms 58 are actuated, and are caused to swing through anarc betweenthe plane of the bot-tom .of the feed hopper and the plane of the feed table, by means (see Fig. 1) comprising a lever 53 clamped to the shaft 56, a connecting rod 64,

a bell crank 55 (which is mounted on a, stub shaft 66 carried by a bearing block 61 secured to the press frame Ill) ,2. second connectingrod 68, and an eccentric 69 secured to the outer end of a shaft l3 extending through and outwardly of the press frame Iil. The shaft I0 is rotated, through a suitable drivingconnection (not show) by the press crankshaft (not shown). The linkage shown as operatively connecting the eccentric 69 and the lever 63 is employed to clear certain parts of the machine,- and the connecting rod 68 is threaded into rod ends i l and 12 to allowadjustment of j the arc through which the arms 58 oscillate.

It will thus be seen that, as the shaft rotates,

each of the suction arms 58 will swing upwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 adjacent the bottommost strip in the feed hopper, and will A, by the following means. With part cular referalignment with the punches of the press.

- f T9 lyihg within a socket formed in the sealing collar 18 and in threaded engagement with the left hand bracket 44 (as viewed in Fig. 4). A pair of; coil springs 81 received within sockets 82 and 8'20. formed in the same members serve to 1 force the collar 1 8 against a fixed sealing member cramped to" the shaft 56. A main suction conduit 84'' and branch suction conduits 84a are interconnected by a manifold 85 and aligned passageways 86 and 860. formed in the sealing collar I8 and sealing member 83; the main suction conduit leading to any suitable suction means (not showni. It wil-l be seen that, as the shaft 55 andthe arms 58 dscillate, the suction passages 86 and 86a will align and disalignperiodically, and that merely by turningthe fixed sealing member 83 and clamping it inthe desired position, the pulling of a vacuum through these passag-eways can be made to occur atthe proper time in the sequence of operations; 1. e.-, when the suction cup 62 is in contact with the bottom strip 38'.

An air passage 81 is formed ineach arm 58, communicating the branch conduits 840. with their respective suction cups. Each passage 81 is also drilled completely through at 88, and a suction release val-ve generally designated as 89 is provided. The valve 89 comprises a body 90 pivotally secured to the arm at SI, a, coil spring 92. 2.; valve stem andhead 93 and a roller 94. It will be seen that the spring 92- normally seats the valve head 93 in the open end of the passage 81 (which is appropriately cored out to receive the valve head) and that, on the downstroke of the arm 58,- the valve is opened by engagement of the roller 94 with a cam surface 95 formed on the arm 14,- as is shown in brokenlines in Fig. 5 By adjustment of the angularity of the arm 14, theval-ve 89 is opened, and the suction is released, at the proper moment; i. e., when the extracted strip 38 has been deposited on the feed table I I. Further, by means of the adjustable link 68 referred to hereinabove (see Fig. 1) in the mechanism actuating the shaft 56 and suction arms 58,- the latter are caused to swing sufficiently below the plane of the feed table to clear the feed fingers (described hereinafter) which perform the next feeding operation.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, each strip, after being deposited upon the feed table at the position A, is next moved across the feed table to a position indicated as B in This transverse feeding movement is accomplished by means of fingers or inserters I00, each of which is notched at I0! and is so positioned as to align the apex of the notch with the plane of the feed table in bearing blocks I03 secured to the feed table supporting framework. Each rod I02 is reciprocated by means comprising a drag link I04 clamped to the lower end of the rod, an operating arm I05 secured to the other end of the drag link and clamped at its opposite end to a shaft I96. one end of.- the shaft I06 is journaled in a bearing bracket I08 bolted to the feed table, and the opposite end of the shaft is journaled in an extension I09 of the feed table supporting framework. The shaft I06 extends through the extension I09 and through and inwardly of the pressframe I0, which is suitably cored out to clear it. Within the press frame, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1, an arm H is clamped to the end of the shaft I08 and is connected by a link I I I to a second arm H2. The arm I I2 is clamped to the hub of a cam follower lever I I3 carried on a shouldered stud I I4 secured in the press frame, and the lever I I3 carries a roller II5 engaging a cam IIIi secured to the above-mentioned shaft E0, the follower II5 being heldin engagement with the cam by means of a coil'spring II'I secured at H8 to the arm H2 and at II9 tothe press frame. 5

The cam H6 is so contoured that theinserte'rs I00 descend with a relatively rapid motion, dwell for a short period until the strip is properlystarted forward as described hereinafter, and then rise to inserting position with a slower movement. It is further to be noted that both the eccentric 69 actuating the suction arms 58 and the cam II6 actuating the inserters I08, are secured to the same shaft. It is thus possible, merely'by ro tating eitherof these elements about the shaft I0; to change their relative angularity and provide proper and accurate timing of the strip extracting and inserting movements.

As stated, each strip 38 is moved by the inserters I00 from the position indicated as A in Fig. 2 to the position indicated as B, in which latter position it is in alignment with the punches of the press. For the purpose of holding each strip flat upon the feed table as it is being advanced toward the press punches, there is provided a guide I25 which is carried by supports I2! pivotally secured at I28 to blocks I29 secured to the lowermost edge of the feed table. To secure the guides in position, and also to effect proper alignment of the feed hopper 26, there are provided keeper blocks I30 adjustably bolted to the guide assembly by means of bolts I3I passing through ovate slots I32 formed in the keeper blocks. The upper end of each keeper blocl: is tapered to provide an angular corner or edge I33, which is complemental to the above-mentioned notch 45 formed in the mating blocks 45 secured to the feed hopper 253. As shown in Fig. 2, when the feed hopper 25 and the guide assembly I25 are in their normal operative position, the notches in the blocks d5 engage the tapered edges of the keeper blocks I30 and rest thereon. By adiustment of the keeper blocks forwardly or rearwardly, it is possible to compensate for discrepancies in the assembly of other parts of the machine. Also, by reason of the hinged connections 48 and I 28, it is possible to lift the hopper 2i} andguide I25 clear of the feed table to allow access to the latter for repairs, removing damaged strips, etc. A guide key 255 bolted to and running the length of the feed table, and engaging a grooved section 25 I, is also provided as a bottom support and r f; Asshown more clearly in the cross-sectional views ofFigs. 10, 11 and 12, the main feed bar I34 isin the form of a channel having a stepped recess I31 and a lateral extension I38, and the auxiliary feed bar I35 i in the form of a solid bar complemental to the recess I31 of the main feed bar. The auxiliary feed bar I35 lies general- 1y within, and is reciprocable in the recess I31.

Bolted to the auxiliary feed bar I35 are a plurality of blocks I39, and adjustably clamped to the main feed bar, to the right of the auxiliary feed bar, by means of bolts I40 andblocks H, are a pluralityof blocks I42 similar to the blocks I39bolted to the auxiliary bar. Each. of the blocks I39 and I42 is recessed at I43 (see Fig. 8), and hingedly secured'at I44 within each recess is a feedfinger] 45 urged upwardly to extend slightlyabove the feed table by a coil spring I46." The blocks I42, hence the feed fingers I45, thus secured to the main food bar are equal in number to the-ends to be punched in a single row from a strip 38, and theyare spaced aparta distance equal to the center-to-center spacing of the ends thus to be punched; The blocks I39 and feed fingers I45 bolted to the auxiliary feed bar I35 may be fewer in number and'their spacing is such as to feed each strip from its initial position B on the feed table (as deposited by the inserters I00) to a second position in proper alignment for punching the first end.

The mechanism for actuating the main and auxiliary feed bars is described hereinafter. At this point, and with reference to Fig. 16, the objects of the differential feeding of the feed bars 'I 34 and I35 will be explained.

Referring now to Figxlfi, there is shown at the top and to the left a strip 38 from which two staggered rows of ends are to be punched, eight to a row, as shown in broken lines. The left hand strip is shown at its initial position B on the feed table, and to the right thereof is shown a second strip 38 in alignment with the punches and from which several ends have been punched and from which two more ends (shown in shading) are 1 about to be punched. As the latter ends are being punched, the left hand strip 38 is fed forwardly by the first auxiliary stroke and then by the second and third auxiliary strokes, at which time it is in position for punching the first end therefrom. From thence forward, the strip is fed forwardly in eight successive increments corresponding to thecenter-to-center spacing of can ends.

Turning now to the means for actuating the main and auxiliary feed bars, the main feed bar I34 is reciprocated by rotation of a crank disc I (see Fig. 1) mounted on one end of the press crankshaft (not shown). A cennecting rod I56 is threaded at one end into a rod holder I5Ia connected eccentrically and adjustably to the crank disc I55 by a ball-md-sociret connection I51. The other end of the connecting rod I56 is threaded into a second rod holder I58, which is connected by means of a ball-and-socket connection I 59 (more clearly shown in Fig. 8) to an arm .168 of a rocker I6I mounted on a post I 52 secured to the feed table suppqrting framework. The other arm I63 of the rocker I6I is secured at I64 to a sleeve or hollow stem I35 which is keyed to a connecting rod I 66 by a safety device generally designated as I61 and described in detail hereinafter. The other end of the connecting rod I66 is threaded into a driving yoke I68. The opposite end of the yoke I68 is pivotally connected at I69 to the main feed bar I34.

The auxiliary feed bar I35 is reciprocated by the same rocker I6I which actuates the main feed bar. A lever I88 pivotally supported upon the same post I82 on which the rocker pivots, and overlying the rocker, is connected at its outer end through a connecting rod I8I, a rod holder I82, and a driving yoke I83 to the auxiliary feed bar I35. As shown more clearly in Figs. 10 and 11, the main and auxiliary driving yokes are pivotally secured to their respective feed bars by means of bearings I84 and IBM and clamps I85 and I85a, respectively.

The lever I88 is actuated by the main driving yoke I68 by means of a connecting rod I88 threaded at one end into a rod holder I87, which is adjustably connected to the lever I88 by a nut and bolt I88 engaging a longitudinal slot I88 formed in the lever, and threaded at its other end into a second rod holder I98 pivotally secured at IQI to a lug I92 projecting from and integral with the main driving yoke I88. It will thus be seen that, as the maindriving yoke I88 and main feed bar I34 are .reciprocated, the auxiliary driving yoke I83 and auxiliary feed bar I88 will also be re ciprocated in synchronism with the main feed bar, and that the stroke of the auxiliary feed bar can be adjusted relatively to that of the main feed bar by means of the adjustable connection of the rod holder I87 and the slotted lever I88.

As is apparent, the feed strokes of the auxiliary feed bar I35 are longer than the feed strokes of the main feed bar I34. This result is accomplished by the means described for driving the auxiliary feed bar. Ihe latter is driven by the rod I88 connected by the rod end 587 to the lever I88 at I83, and by the rod I8I connected to the lever I88 at a point farther from its fulcrum than the point I88. Thus, as shown by the angles shown in broken lines, the amplitude of reciprocation of the rod ISI, hence of the auxiliary feed bar I35, is greater than the amplitude of the rod I88 and main feed bar I34.

Reverting now to the safety device I87 serving to connect the sleeve I85 and connecting rod I86 of the main feed bar actuating mechanism, as shown more clearly in Fig. 9, a chamber 288 is provided, which is integral with the sleeve I85, and within the chamber 288 are disposed two blocks 28!, each having a wedge-shaped portion 282 normally seated on a coinplemental wedge 283 formed in the connecting rod I86 and held in engagement therewith by a coil spring 284 maintained under any desired compression by means of an adjusting screw 285. The connection thus formed between the sleeve I85 and rod I88 serves to drive the rod,- hence the main and auxiliary feed bars, during normal operation, but should a strip become jammed, the blocks 28! will be forced out of engagement with the wedge 283 and further reciprocation of the sleeve I65 will merely result in the sleeve sliding back and forth without reciprocating the rod I88.

It will thus be seen that a machine has been provided which rapidly extracts strips of metal or the like from a supply of the same, in accu rately timed relationship to subsequent steps in the cycle of operation; which accurately and rapidly deposits and orients each strip on a feed table in, alignment with press punches; which rapidly and accurately advances each strip to a position for the initial punching operation and thereafter feeds the strip in uniform increments through the press; which provides an automatic safety element to stop the feeding movements in the event of jamming of a strip; and which embodies such desirable features as compactness and ruggedness of design, the mounting of parts in relation to each other so as to minimize vibration, etc.-

While I have shown the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changesmay be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l. A suction feeding mechanism comprising a frame, an arm oscillatable on said frame and having a suction passageway extending therethrough, a suction member fixed to said arm and communicating with one end of said passageway, a valve carried by the arm and communicating with said passageway and operable when open to release suction from said suction member, means yieldably urging said valve to closed position, and a cam adjustably mounted on the frame and having an arcuate face engageable with the valve to periodically open said valve as said arm oscillates, the 'arcuate face of said cam having its center of curvature disposed at the axis about which the arm oscillates.

2. A suction feeding mechanism comprising a suction member carrier movable toward and away from an article pick-up station, a suction member carried by the carrier, a suction passageway communicating at one end with the suction mem-' ber, a valve communicating with the passageway and being carried by the carrier and openable in a direction at right angles to the line of travel of the carrier to release suction from the suction member, means yieldably urging said valve member to its closed position, a cam arranged in position for engaging but not obstructing the valve during its travel for opening the valve during movement thereof, and means for adjusting the position of the cam in a direction parallel to the direction of travel of the carrier and the suction member.

ED LAXO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 907,944 Abrams Dec. 29, 1908 955,112 Abrams Apr. 12, 1910 1,477,240 Cameron Dec. 11, 1923 1,655,937 Smith Apr. 10, 1928 1,712,546 Borgeson May 14, 1929 1,745,616 Hansen Feb. 4, 1930 2,235,377 Laxo Mar. 18, 1941 2,295,055 Rupp et al Sept. 8, 1942 2,335,064 Kabel Nov. 23, 1943 2,378,306 Leonhart June 12, 1945 

